Lunch Tip from Jamie Oliver: Toaster Cheese Sandwiches

Jamie Oliver is always full of surprises, but this one really takes the cake. Or the cheese, as it were. How do you make a crispy, warm, and bubbly cheese sandwich with nothing but a two-slot toaster? Jamie shows us how.

This tip actually comes from an early episode of Jamie's Kitchen, the British documentary where Jamie trains a group of unemployed, under-educated youths to run one of his restaurants. In the episode, Jamie is making a meal for his family before heading off to train his young chefs.

He casually flips his two-slot toaster on its side and slides a piece of bread with sliced cheese into the bottom slot while the top slot toasts another plain slice. Three minutes later, he has a grilled cheese sandwich with far less fuss than I've ever made one.

My eyes just about bugged out of my head as I watched this. I couldn't decide if it was brilliant or completely crazy. I ran to the kitchen and tried it immediately.

Here's the thing: this doesn't work in every toaster. Many toasters now have a wire cage that folds inward to brace the bread as soon as you begin toasting. Sadly, this cage will become completely coated with melting cheese if you try Jamie's method, creating a mess that is nearly impossible to clean.

You also have to be careful to position the slices of cheese away from the edges of the toast so that melting cheese doesn't drip onto the hot coils. Another impossible-to-clean mess.

So yes, take this particular tip with a dose of caution. Still, it's possible! Take a look at the toaster in your office or dorm suite - this might be just the ticket for a warm lunch.